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<p>Brooklyn Decker is known for her work as an actress and model, but you may not know she's also the chief design officer of <a href="https://www.finery.com/" target="_blank">Finery</a>, a wardrobe-planning platform. And whether she's on location for “<a href="https://twitter.com/GraceandFrankie" target="_blank">Grace and Frankie</a>” (which recently debuted its fourth season on <a href="http://netflix.com" target="_blank">Netflix</a>), working on her company, or jetsetting with her family, she's a woman on the go.</p><p>We chatted with Decker and found out her best-kept travel beauty secret, the little-known town she loves for romantic retreats, and the comical reason why she and husband Andy Roddick cut their Costa Rican honeymoon short.</p><p><strong><em>Travel + Leisure:</em> What do you always bring with you while traveling?</strong></p><p><strong>Brooklyn Decker:</strong> “I love to read — the thing that sort of fell by the wayside when I became a mom was reading, I had no time for it, but recently, within the last six months or so, I started traveling a bit more without my son and I really got to catch up on some books. For me, that’s a total treat to actually be able to read on a flight. That’s the number one indulgence that I partake in, the one thing I always have with me when traveling is a book.”</p><p><strong>What are you reading right now?</strong></p><p>“Right now I’m reading ‘<a data-ecommerce="true" href="https://www.amazon.com/Emotional-Intelligence-featured-Leader-Goleman-ebook/dp/B00O92Q6GM" target="_blank">On Emotional Intelligence</a>.’ It’s basically a compilation of all of these essays from the Harvard Business Review about emotional intelligence ... You can pick it up and read an essay, and then drop it for a week and then start it up again.”</p><p><strong>What has traveling as a mom taught you?</strong></p><p>“That you just have to throw up your hands and give yourself over to the travel gods and trust that everything works out well. It’s so much more complicated with children ... I think the biggest thing is making sure that you have a ton of distractions and a ton of snacks. So when I’m traveling with my son, my bag is just loaded with crayons and toys and anything he can eat and drink. It’s just the art of distraction for however many hours it takes.”</p><p><strong>Where is your go-to spot for a romantic getaway with your husband?</strong></p><p>“I grew up in North Carolina, and there’s this tiny little town called <a href="http://www.cashiersnorthcarolina.org/" target="_blank">Cashiers</a>, about an hour west of <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-guide/asheville-western-north-carolina" target="_blank">Asheville</a>. There’s really nothing to do there but to hike and eat excellent food. There’s a restaurant called <a href="http://lonesomevalley.com/cashiers-nc-restaurant/" target="_blank">Canyon Kitchen</a>; it has a James Beard-nominated chef, and it’s really in the middle of nowhere. I think [the town’s] population is 2,000 throughout the year. Again, it’s tucked away, you can’t be found, and it’s so beautiful and peaceful. So whenever we have time off, we go to Cashiers to kind of tuck away.”</p><p><strong>Speaking of romantic getaways, I know that you mentioned to <a href="https://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/brooklyn-decker-25-things-you-dont-know-about-me-w499669/" target="_blank"><em>US Weekly</em></a> that you and your husband, Andy Roddick, cut your honeymoon short. Could you tell me that story?</strong></p><p>“We went to <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/costa-rica-the-ultimate-guide" target="_blank">Costa Rica</a>, which we love — we’ve been back since because we love it so much; it’s absolutely beautiful. But we are people who can’t slow down, ever. We like to pick relaxing places, but then we do a ton of activities when we’re there. So we went to Costa Rica, and we did all of the activities that one could do in the area we were in. I think we had a seven-day honeymoon planned, but we knocked the activities out in four, maybe five days. And Dave Matthews Band was playing in Charlotte, North Carolina — which is where my family is — and I’m a huge Dave Matthews Band fan, so we ended up cutting our honeymoon short and flew to Charlotte to hang out with my parents and go to a Dave Matthews Band concert. I remember my parents being very worried for us. They were like, ‘You guys are newlyweds, and you’re cutting your honeymoon short to come to a Dave Matthews concert with your parents? Have you lost your minds?’ But to us, it was the perfect ending to a perfect week. It was the cherry on top.”</p><p><strong>If you were able to take a vacation right now to somewhere that you’ve never been, where would you go?</strong></p><p>“Probably <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-tips/best-time-to-visit-new-zealand" target="_blank">New Zealand</a> ... I spent a lot of time in <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-tips/best-time-to-visit-australia" target="_blank">Australia</a> and I’m a really big fan of anything outdoors-y, and I feel like there you can do the vineyards one day, you could go to the beach one day, and you could be repelling down a cliff one day. It’s an area I really want to see and, obviously, it’s incredibly difficult to get to, so I think that makes it even more appealing. New Zealand is definitely on my bucket list.”</p><p><strong>What would you say would be your best travel beauty secret?</strong></p><p>“I don’t have one! However ... obviously planes are so dehydrating, but now, there are so many great face oils out there and I feel like years ago, you’d never put oil on your face because you would, at least for me, it would cause crazy breakouts. But now I find that when I’m super dehydrated on a flight, it helps to actually use a little oil before you take off. It makes you feel a little more human and a little less lizard-like when you land, so I always try to bring a good face oil when I fly.”</p>

<p>Fewer people than ever are being bumped from their flights.</p><p><a href="https://www.transportation.gov/sites/dot.gov/files/docs/resources/individuals/aviation-consumer-protection/303556/2018januaryatcr.pdf" target="_blank">According to the U.S. Department of Transportation</a>, 2017 had the fewest passengers kicked off their flights since it started recording the data in 1995 — and nearly half the number that was reported just one year before.</p><p>For every 10,000 passengers that flew on U.S. airlines in 2017, 0.34 were bumped. In 2016, that figure was 0.64.</p><p>The dramatic drop can likely be attributed to United Airline’s infamous bumping of Dr. David Dao in April 2017.</p><p>The bump seen round the world created a PR nightmare for the airline. In the following weeks, not only did <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/airlines-airports/united-airlines/united-offer-bump-flight" target="_blank">the airline increase the compensation for giving up a seat</a>, it announced <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/airlines-airports/united-airlines/united-overbooking-policy" target="_blank">a complete overhaul of its overbooking policies</a>. The effect spread to other airlines, as well. Delta substantially increased the amount it would pay customers to voluntarily give up their seats. <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-airlines-transportation/u-s-airlines-sharply-cut-involuntary-passenger-bumping-dot-idUSKBN1DG2PA" target="_blank">Southwest announced it would stop overbooking flights</a>.</p><p>The U.S. DOT also reported that fewer passengers voluntarily removed themselves from flights in 2017.</p><p>In total, <a href="http://www.travelmole.com/news_feature.php?c=setreg&amp;region=3&amp;m_id=Y!Y!vY!_rY!~A&amp;w_id=34219&amp;news_id=2031039" target="_blank">airlines bumped 23,223 fliers last year</a>. About one-third of those passengers came from Southwest Airlines (8,279) although passengers on Spirit Airlines had the highest likelihood of getting bumped (about one of every 12,000 passengers).</p><p>On the opposite end of the spectrum, passengers flying on Delta are the least likely to be bumped (0.05 per 10,000), followed by Hawaiian Airlines (at 0.09 per 10,000 passengers). United passengers have a 0.23 chance out of 10,000 of being bumped from their flight.</p>

<p>Countries can vary when it comes to their regulations and environments, which is why there’s certain safety protocols you’ll want to know about before your next trip.</p><p>Tim Starkweather, an officer at the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Consular Affairs, recently took to <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/7xb0sl/i_am_tim_starkweather_an_american_citizens/" target="_blank">Reddit</a> for an AMA, pinpointing in the discussion what some of these protocols are and what you'll want to avoid doing when abroad. </p><p>His first tip? Don't transport prescription medications that are illegal in the country where you're going.</p><p>This may seem obvious, but Starkweather says some countries have different laws about medications available in the U.S. and mistakes can lead to <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-news/laura-plummer-tramadol-egypt" target="_blank">years of jail time</a> for unaware travelers who bring in an illegal prescription.</p><p>Even if it's not a legality issue, travelers need to check availability before a trip in case they run out of the medication they take. Some countries may not have a certain prescription drug, leaving travelers in tough situations should they be faced with an emergency while there.</p><p>To get a better understanding of how these regulations vary, travelers can utilize the State Department’s <a href="https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages.html" target="_blank">country pages</a>, which list out local laws and health information for your travel destination.</p><p>Starkweather's second main tip is not to attend demonstrations or <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/airlines-airports/passenger-stages-sit-in-after-canceled-flight" target="_blank">protests</a>.</p><p>Should you be traveling to a location where protests and demonstrations are taking place, Starkweather advises sharing your travel itinerary with friends and family, making sure to include your address, travel dates, and contact information.</p><p>Since phone lines can often go down during emergencies, he also suggests that travelers sign up for the <a href="https://step.state.gov" target="_blank">Smart Traveler Enrollment Program</a> (STEP). The free service provides you with safety information on destinations, sends regular updates and alerts on your destination, and allows both the U.S. Embassy and your family and friends to contact you during emergencies.</p><p><strong>Related:</strong> <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-tips/how-to-prepare-to-move-abroad" target="_blank">9 Steps to Get You Ready to Move Abroad </a></p><p>If you do get arrested while on vacation, Starkweather says the first step is to ask to speak to the U.S. Embassy or Consulate.</p><p>“In general, if you are a U.S. citizen, you have the right to request the U.S. embassy or consulate to be notified of your arrest,” Starkweather <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/7xb0sl/i_am_tim_starkweather_an_american_citizens/du6xk03/" target="_blank">writes</a>, adding that you can either request this of the local police or prison officials or call directly if you have access to a phone.</p><p>While U.S. State Department officials cannot get a traveler out of jail, <a href="http://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/emergencies/arrest-detention.html" target="_blank">they can provide</a> a list of local attorneys who speak English, assist in visits during the time of detainment, and insure that prison officials administer proper medical care.</p>

<p>Jessica Biel may be a mom, but she’s a cool mom.</p><p>Just take a look at her Instagram snaps from her wild weekend in <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-guide/las-vegas-nevada" target="_blank">Las Vegas</a>, where she was celebrating her future sister-in-law’s bachelorette.</p><p>“What happens in Vegas… comes home with you! Had a blast welcoming my new sister to the fam. Thank you @redrockcasino for taking such good care of us!” Biel said in the caption of an Instagram post celebrating Rose Muniz’s big weekend.</p><p><strong>Related:</strong> <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/syndication/jessica-biel-comfortable-sneakers" target="_blank">The Stylish Sneakers Jessica Biel Is Obsessed With Right Now</a></p><p>In the series of images, Biel showed off the entire <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/trip-ideas/destination-weddings/international-bachelorette-party-planning-tips" target="_blank">bachelorette party</a> as they posed up a storm in Vegas. Next, she shared a close-up selfie, which perfectly accentuated her timeless beauty. In a third snap Biel is seen playing the slots in a bathrobe and sneakers, as one does in Vegas. In her last photo Biel shared the incredible view of the Vegas strip she and the other ladies enjoyed while staying at the <a href="https://redrock.sclv.com/" target="_blank">Red Rock</a>.</p><p>And that wasn't all. Biel also shared a series of images from the party’s decadent dinner at <a href="http://yellowtaillasvegas.com/" target="_blank">Yellowtail</a>, which specializes in fusing Japanese and Korean cuisine. </p><p>“Bachelorette to do list: Epic dinner at <a href="https://www.instagram.com/yellowtaillv/" target="_blank">@yellowtaillv</a>? Check. Dancing our faces off at <a href="https://www.instagram.com/hakkasanlv/" target="_blank">@hakkasanlv</a>? Check. Maybe still hungover?! CHECK. I love Vegas,” Biel wrote in the post’s caption.</p><p>Of course, the bride-to-be also shared her own images from the weekend. In one post Muniz shared the group’s hiking adventure through <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-guide/las-vegas-nevada/things-to-do/red-rock-canyon-national-conservation-area" target="_blank">Red Rock Canyon</a>, which sits just outside of Las Vegas.</p><p>Vegas isn’t just for celebrity bachelorettes — you can have the ultimate girls weekend in Sin City, too. Just follow Biel's very specific to-do list, or check out our <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-guide/las-vegas-nevada" target="_blank">travel guide</a>. But maybe consider banning all cell phone photography for the weekend. Just a suggestion. </p>

<p><a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-news/penguin-hops-in-out-of-boat-antarctica" target="_blank">Penguins</a> just may be the hopeless romantics of the animal kingdom.</p><p>While it's not <a href="http://www.penguins-world.com/do-penguins-mate-for-life/" target="_blank">entirely true that penguins mate for life</a>, many species of penguin are considered serial monogamists, and some do maintain the same partner throughout their entire life.</p><img alt="African Penguins walk by a Valentine's Day card at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco "src="http://cdn-image.travelandleisure.com/sites/default/files/styles/1600x1000/public/1518622576/penguin-valentines-01-SFSAVDAY0218.jpg?itok=Ka71qcTN"><p>And the <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/attractions/zoos-aquariums/chinese-zoo-used-inflatable-penguins-as-substitutes" target="_blank">penguins</a> at the California Academy of Sciences in <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-guide/san-francisco" target="_blank">San Francisco</a> are making some seriously romantic gestures to celebrate St. Valentine. In an annual tradition, scientists hand out red, felt hearts to the African penguins on Feb. 14, <a href="https://apnews.com/0f19ab2f41f449a598ef11d05d5de30c" target="_blank">Associated Press reported</a>.</p><img alt="California Academy of Sciences senior biologist Jarrod Willis gives an African Penguin a Valentine's Day card at the California Academy of Sciences "src="http://cdn-image.travelandleisure.com/sites/default/files/styles/1600x1000/public/1518622576/penguin-valentines-03-SFSAVDAY0218.jpg?itok=4bg1fU09"><img alt="An African Penguin pulls a Valentine's Day card into its nest box at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco, "src="http://cdn-image.travelandleisure.com/sites/default/files/styles/1600x1000/public/1518622576/penguin-valentines-04-SFSAVDAY0218.jpg?itok=S_2SBjrA"><p>The penguins then use the felt to reinforce their nests and build their bond with their partner. The male penguins are often the ones to retrieve the heart, bringing it back to the female partner. Photographs from the day's festivities show proud penguins waddling around with symbols of their undying love.</p><p>Fans of the penguins who want to watch the holiday unfold in real time can check out the research center's three <a href="https://www.calacademy.org/explore-science/live-penguin-cams" target="_blank">live penguin cameras</a>.</p>

<p>Have you ever watched a movie and thought to yourself, “That place looks awfully familiar. Wasn’t it in that other movie too?” Turns out, your inkling is probably correct as Hollywood simply loves to use the same locations over and over again.</p><p>For example, according to the website <a href="http://www.gocompare.com/travel-insurance/on-location/#/top20" target="_blank">Go Compare</a>, <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/secrets-of-central-park" target="_blank">Central Park in New York City</a> has been used as a filming location 231 times. Venice Beach in California has clocked in 161 times, while Greenwich Village in New York City comes in at a close third with 160 movie credits.</p><p><strong>Related:</strong> <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/culture-design/tv-movies/movie-themed-hotel-rooms" target="_blank">These Movie-themed Hotel Rooms Will Bring Your Favorite Fantasy to Life</a></p><p>Of course movies are filmed outside of New York City and <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-guide/los-angeles" target="_blank">Los Angeles</a>, too. Go Compare compiled some very useful information for movie buffs and scoured IMDB records to find out what each state’s most-filmed locations actually are.</p><p>“To define a top location in each state, we went as granular as we could to isolate a specific building, landmark or city,” Go Compared said in a statement. As an example, the site found that in the great state of Ohio, Mansfield Reformatory was used as the filming location for the "Shawshank Redemption." And in Minnesota, the Mall of America was used as a filming location for both "Jingle All The Way" and "The Mighty Ducks."</p><p>Keep scrolling to find out which landmark is the most filmed location in your state.</p><p>Alabama: Ladd-Peebles Stadium</p><p>Alaska: Katmai National Park</p><p>Arizona: University of Phoenix Stadium</p><p>Arkansas: University of Central Arkansas</p><p>California: Venice Beach</p><p>Colorado: Red Rocks Park and Amphitheater</p><p>Connecticut: Yale University</p><p>Delaware: Dover International Speedway</p><p>Florida: South Beach</p><p>Georgia: Georgia Dome</p><p>Hawaii: Aloha Stadium</p><p>Idaho: Bronco Stadium</p><p>Illinois: Wrigley Field</p><p>Indiana: Indianapolis Motor Speedway</p><p>Iowa: University of Iowa</p><p>Kansas: Kansas Speedway</p><p>Kentucky: Creation Museum</p><p>Louisiana: Bourbon Street</p><p>Maine: Mount Katahdin</p><p>Maryland: Oriole Park</p><p>Massachusetts: Castle Hill</p><p>Michigan: Ford Field</p><p>Minnesota: Mall of America</p><p>Mississippi: University of Mississippi</p><p>Missouri: Jefferson National Expansion Memorial</p><p>Montana: Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument</p><p>Nebraska: University of Nebraska</p><p>Nevada: Caesar’s Palace</p><p>New Hampshire: Dartmouth College</p><p>New Jersey: Strauss Mansion Museum</p><p>New Mexico: Bonanza Creek Ranch</p><p>New York: Central Park</p><p>North Carolina: The Myers House</p><p>North Dakota: Fargo</p><p>Ohio: Mansfield Reformatory</p><p>Oklahoma: University of Oklahoma</p><p>Oregon: Multnomah Falls</p><p>Pennsylvania: Philadelphia Museum of Art</p><p>Rhode Island: University of Rhode island</p><p>South Carolina: Darlington Raceway</p><p>South Dakota: Mount Rushmore</p><p>Tennessee: Ryman Auditorium</p><p>Texas: Johnson Space Center</p><p>Utah: Goblin Valley State Park</p><p>Vermont: Killington Ski Resort</p><p>Virginia: Colonial Williamsburg</p><p>Washington: Mount St. Helens</p><p>West Virginia: West Virginia State University</p><p>Wisconsin: University of Wisconsin</p><p>Wyoming: Yellowstone National Park</p>

<p>Sir <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-news/richard-branson-luxury-hotel-south-africa" target="_blank">Richard Branson</a>, the billionaire businessman and founder of Virgin Group, has an eye toward the future of flight – but the future, to him, involves revisiting the past.</p><p>In an interview with <em><a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-02-14/supersonic-air-travel-next-big-thing-billionaire-branson-says" target="_blank">Bloomberg Television</a></em> on Tuesday, Feb. 13, Branson expressed his hope that supersonic travel will make a comeback in the next few years, allowing people to <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/trip-ideas/best-places-to-travel-in-2018" target="_blank">travel “around the world</a> in next to no time.”</p><p>“And hopefully, in a relatively environmentally friendly way,” he added.</p><p>From 1969-2003, the Concorde – a supersonic passenger airliner – was available for <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-news/bring-sunscreen-on-flights" target="_blank">commercial flights</a> via Air France and British Airways. Both airlines retired the Concorde once costs outpaced profits, announcing their intention on to do so on April 10, 2003. The very next day, Branson expressed interest in buying the supersonic jetliners, but the deal never went through.</p><p>Fast forward to present day: Branson's Virgin Galactic has partnered with Denver-based startup Boom Technology Inc. to work on jets that could get passengers <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/culture-design/architecture-design/new-supersonic-jet-concorde" target="_blank">from New York to London in 3.5 hours</a> – 2.6 times faster than current airplanes and <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/mach/science/supersonic-air-travel-just-took-another-big-step-toward-its-ncna828431" target="_blank">twice the speed of sound</a>.</p><p>According to <a href="http://boomsupersonic.com/about/" target="_blank">Boom Supersonic’s website</a>, “From 1903 to 1976, the speed of passenger aviation increased relentlessly from 7 mph to Mach 2.0. Then something broke. Over the last 40 years, not only have we failed to generate further speed increases, we’ve lost supersonic capability.”</p><p>So, they took matters into their own hands and “built a driven, world-class team to produce the world’s first commercially viable supersonic aircraft.” Their FAQ says one of their models is <a href="https://boomsupersonic.com/faq/" target="_blank">scheduled to fly in 2018</a> with passenger flights set to start taking off in the early 2020s. </p><p>Branson, whose net worth is reported to be $5.1 billion, released a <a href="https://www.virgin.com/richard-branson/supersonic-travel" target="_blank">statement on behalf of Virgin Galactic</a> that expressed dedication to and excitement for the supersonic project, which will offer consumers a more affordable, quieter, and comfortable experience than that of the Concorde. </p><p>“This is the first step on the journey to build the world’s first privately developed supersonic jet and fastest civil aircraft ever. There is no doubt that supersonic travel will take a lot of hard work, partners, and investment. This is the kind of innovation that will change the future of transportation and the future of how we do business,” Branson wrote.</p><p>With the advancement of air travel on Branson's mind, you might be zipping between continents faster than someone will hear you say "gotta supersonic jet!" – if you have <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/mach/science/supersonic-air-travel-just-took-another-big-step-toward-its-ncna828431" target="_blank">the $5,000 for a ticket</a>, that is.</p>

<p>Hawaii is no longer the happiest state in the United States, according to the <a href="http://www.well-beingindex.com/2017-gswbi-state-rankings" target="_blank">2017 results</a> of Gallup and Sharecare’s annual <a href="https://www.well-beingindex.com/hubfs/Gallup-Sharecare%20State%20of%20American%20Well-Being_2017-State-Rankings_FINAL.pdf?t=1518473023878" target="_blank">Well-Being Index</a>.</p><p>Every year, Gallup conducts thousands of telephone interviews with people across the U.S. to rank the happiness and wellness levels of each state's residents based on purpose, social, financial, community, and physical well-being categories. After analyzing <a href="https://www.realsimple.com/health/gallup-well-being-index-2017" target="_blank">160,498 polls</a> from 2017, Gallup and Sharecare announced the results from their extensive study this week.</p><p><strong>Related:</strong> <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/trip-ideas/bhutan-happiest-country-on-earth" target="_blank">An Inside Look at the Self-proclaimed Happiest Country on Earth</a></p><p>Vermont and South Dakota tied for the nation's happiest state, with a national <a href="http://www.well-beingindex.com/2017-gswbi-state-rankings" target="_blank">Well-Being Index score</a> of 64.1 out of 100. Whereas South Dakota scored highest in purpose well-being, Vermont scored highest in social.</p><p>Hawaii, a <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/trip-ideas/yoga-wellness/happiest-states-2017" target="_blank">six-time winner</a> of the Gallup-Healthways poll, came in a close third at 63.4. Even though Hawaii got <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/trip-ideas/yoga-wellness/happiest-states-2017" target="_blank">knocked down two pegs from 2016</a>, the perennially happy state was the only one to rank “in the top 10 [states] across all elements of well-being” this year.</p><p>Minnesota ranked fourth in the Well-Being index, although a recent <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/trip-ideas/yoga-wellness/happiest-states-in-america" target="_blank">WalletHub study</a> named the Land of 10,000 Lakes as happiest. However, their study differed from Gallup’s in that they analyzed each state’s levels of happiness and satisfaction based on <a href="https://wallethub.com/edu/happiest-states/6959/" target="_blank">28 distinct categories</a>, including depression, sports participation, number of work hours, safety, and divorce rate. Another key point to note is that WalletHub did not conduct personal interviews and instead <a href="https://wallethub.com/edu/happiest-states/6959/" target="_blank">collected their data from sources</a> such as the U.S. Census Bureau and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The subjective experience of happiness, it appears, doesn't quite square with more objective measures used to study it.</p><p>Unfortunately for West Virginia, both the Gallup and WalletHub studies placed the Appalachian state as the unhappiest in the U.S. Following close behind in the Gallup-Sharecare study are Louisiana and Arkansas, with scores of 49 and 48 respectively.</p><p>If you are looking for ideas on where to have a happy vacation this year, we recommend heading to South Dakota's <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-guide/badlands-national-park" target="_blank">Badlands National Park</a> or <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/trip-ideas/fall-vacations/best-fall-foliage-spots#stowe-vermont" target="_blank">Vermont's “Fall's Color Capital”</a> this upcoming fall for outdoorsy activities, beautiful scenery, and a whole lot of happiness.</p>

<p>Hawaii is no longer the happiest state in the United States, according to the <a href="http://www.well-beingindex.com/2017-gswbi-state-rankings" target="_blank">2017 results</a> of Gallup and Sharecare’s annual <a href="https://www.well-beingindex.com/hubfs/Gallup-Sharecare%20State%20of%20American%20Well-Being_2017-State-Rankings_FINAL.pdf?t=1518473023878" target="_blank">Well-Being Index</a>.</p><p>Every year, Gallup conducts thousands of telephone interviews with people across the U.S. to rank the happiness and wellness levels of each state's residents based on purpose, social, financial, community, and physical well-being categories. After analyzing <a href="https://www.realsimple.com/health/gallup-well-being-index-2017" target="_blank">160,498 polls</a> from 2017, Gallop and Sharecare announced the results from their extensive study this week.</p><p><strong>Related:</strong> <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/trip-ideas/bhutan-happiest-country-on-earth" target="_blank">An Inside Look at the Self-proclaimed Happiest Country on Earth</a></p><p>Vermont and South Dakota tied for the nation's happiest state, with a national <a href="http://www.well-beingindex.com/2017-gswbi-state-rankings" target="_blank">Well-Being Index score</a> of 64.1 out of 100. Whereas South Dakota scored highest in purpose well-being, Vermont scored highest in social.</p><p>Hawaii, a <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/trip-ideas/yoga-wellness/happiest-states-2017" target="_blank">six-time winner</a> of the Gallup-Healthways poll, came in a close third at 63.4. Even though Hawaii got <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/trip-ideas/yoga-wellness/happiest-states-2017" target="_blank">knocked down two pegs from 2016</a>, the perennially happy state was the only one to rank “in the top 10 [states] across all elements of well-being” this year.</p><p>Minnesota ranked fourth in the Well-Being index, although a recent <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/trip-ideas/yoga-wellness/happiest-states-in-america" target="_blank">WalletHub study</a> named the Land of 10,000 Lakes as happiest. However, their study differed from Gallup’s in that they analyzed each state’s levels of happiness and satisfaction based on <a href="https://wallethub.com/edu/happiest-states/6959/" target="_blank">28 distinct categories</a>, including depression, sports participation, number of work hours, safety, and divorce rate. Another key point to note is that WalletHub did not conduct personal interviews and instead <a href="https://wallethub.com/edu/happiest-states/6959/" target="_blank">collected their data from sources</a> such as the U.S. Census Bureau and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The subjective experience of happiness, it appears, doesn't quite square with more objective measures used to study it.</p><p>Unfortunately for West Virginia, both the Gallop and WalletHub studies placed the Appalachian state as the unhappiest in the U.S. Following close behind in the Gallop-Sharecare study are Louisiana and Arkansas, with scores of 49 and 48 respectively.</p><p>If you are looking for ideas on where to have a happy vacation this year, we recommend heading to South Dakota's <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-guide/badlands-national-park" target="_blank">Badlands National Park</a> or <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/trip-ideas/fall-vacations/best-fall-foliage-spots#stowe-vermont" target="_blank">Vermont's “Fall's Color Capital”</a> this upcoming fall for outdoorsy activities, beautiful scenery, and a whole lot of happiness.</p>

<p>A <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/airlines-airports/how-airline-friends-family-employees-standby-delta-travelnet" target="_blank">Delta Air Lines</a> employee was captured on video using explicit language toward a customer who was filming him at <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/airlines-airports/portland-international-best-us-airport" target="_blank">Portland International Airport.</a></p><p>Ruhul Amin, 37, told NBC affiliate <a href="http://www.kgw.com/article/travel/watch-delta-air-lines-employee-curses-at-customer-at-pdx/283-518335264" target="_blank">KGW8</a> that his Delta flight from Honolulu to Portland was delayed twice Sunday prior to his placement on a Hawaiian Airlines flight. He told KGW8 that his luggage remained with Delta en route to Portland, and that Delta employees were discourteous to him when he tried to explain the situation.</p><p>In the video Amin posted to social media himself, one female Delta employee asks, “Why do you do this?” Amin responds, “Can I talk to your supervisor?” as the camera shifts onto a male employee.</p><p>“You can take my f--king picture if you want to a--hole,” the employee says directly into the camera. “Let’s get the cops down here,” he adds.</p><p>“Yeah, please,” Amin can be heard saying. “Yeah, yeah, absolutely.”</p><p>Delta told <em>Travel + Leisure </em>it has suspended the male employee.</p><p>“The actions displayed by this employee do not in any way reflect the standard of customer service and professionalism we expect from our employees,” Delta said in a statement. “This conduct is unacceptable and we have reached out directly to the customer and apologized.”</p><p>Amin told KGW8 that he later received a phone call from Delta spokesperson, who apologized and offered him a $200 voucher. The airline was also able to locate his bag and deliver it to his hotel lobby in Portland, the station reports.</p><p>Amin did not immediately respond to a request for comment from <em>Travel + Leisure</em>. </p>

<p>As a kid growing up on the West Coast, <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-guide/nantucket" target="_blank">Nantucket</a> was one of those totems, along with historic liberal-arts colleges, fall foliage, and lobster rolls, of a WASP lifestyle I viewed with deep if slightly wary fascination. (And, of course, it figured into a few dirty limericks I learned.) I wound up going to a historic liberal-arts college in Connecticut, and have done more than my share of leaf-peeping and lobster-roll-eating, but I never did find my way to Nantucket until I’d really grown up — I mean, gotten married and had kids. And while I’m sure I would have had a blast on the famous island south of Cape Cod if I’d visited when I was younger, I can’t say enough about the experience of going with your family for a <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/weekend-getaways/weekend-in-nantucket" target="_blank">long weekend</a>. It feels like what the place was made for.</p><p>That starts with the flight. For the last few years, JetBlue has been offering direct flights from New York, where we live, that take just over an hour — a breeze compared to the West Coast flights we’re used to. You arrive at the tiny airport — covered, naturally, with the same unpainted cedar shingles you see everywhere you go in town — and instantly you feel yourself downshifting to a slower pace, a more intimate scale, a weekend frame of mind. A Nantucket Island Resorts<em> </em>was waiting to load up my brood — me, my wife, our 3-year-old daughter, and our 1-year-old son — and take us to our residence at <a href="http://www.whiteelephantvillage.com" target="_blank">White Elephant Village</a> <em>(residences from $195; more during high season; open April through October)</em>: a roomy two-bedroom, two-bathroom cottage suite set among gardens, with a porch and a washer and dryer and its own front and back entrances. When we unpacked, we realized we’d forgotten the kids’ toiletries, but it was no problem. The property provided us with all-natural, hypoallergenic products from Dolphin Organics. This is the kind of service you so deeply appreciate when you’re traveling with small kids.</p><p>We’d come for <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/holiday-travel/labor-day/popular-labor-day-destinations" target="_blank">Labor Day weekend</a>, and while the weather was by no means hot, it was certainly warm enough to use the pool, where we found a treasure chest of noodles, kick boards, and miscellaneous floaties. One parent would hang out with the kids as they test-drove the pool toys while the other lounged on a deck chair under an umbrella, actually getting to reach a few snatches of a novel. White Elephant also has red Radio Flyer wagons available to borrow, which we did, carting the kids to the nearby Children’s Beach — yes, Nantucket actually has one, just outside town, that is dedicated for use by little people.</p><p>Further along the Nantucket Harbor from the Children’s Beach, toward the famous Brant Point Lighthouse, is the <a href="http://www.whiteelephanthotel.com" target="_blank">White Elephant Hotel</a> <em>(doubles from $195; more during high season; open April through October)</em>, where you’ll find the <a href="http://www.whiteelephanthotel.com/dining.aspx#gref" target="_blank">Brant Point Grill</a> <em>(entrées $32-$69)</em>. We headed there our first night, were seated on the generous covered deck, fastened our lobster bibs, and ordered martinis and the surf and turf for two. There was a game of cornhole set up on the lawn, and when the kids got bored and fully they ran into the gloaming to toss beanbags with the children of other diners as dusk gathered over the boats anchored in the harbor.</p><p>Besides the lighthouse, the other worthwhile waterfront destination in close proximity to White Elephant Village is Jetties Beach. It doesn’t look like much as you approach, but then you get over the dunes and find yourself looking at a a perfect New England beach: a wide, protected expanse of fine sand, with still water dotted by white sails beyond. There’s a clubhouse at the back of the beach called <a href="http://jettiessandbar.com" target="_blank">Sandbar</a> <em>(open May-September)</em>. We didn’t go in, but the sounds emanating from it were straight-up Margaritaville.</p><img alt="The pool at the White Elephant, in Nantucket "src="http://cdn-image.travelandleisure.com/sites/default/files/styles/1600x1000/public/1517607346/white-elephant-pool-WTGNANTUCKET0118.jpg?itok=f4fxvWVx"><p>In the other direction from the beach and the lighthouse are the almost too-perfect, sloped cobblestone streets of the town of Nantucket itself. Two mornings in a row we went to breakfast at <a href="https://www.fogisland.com/home" target="_blank">Fog Island Café</a> <em>(entrées $10-$17)</em>, a low-slung, high-volume, slightly claustrophobic New England diner of the sort I fell in love with in college and will frequent until the day I die. It serves great huevos rancheros and a number of excellent riffs on Eggs Benedict. As we waited one of those mornings a slightly older girl asked my little girl if she wanted to play hide and seek.</p><p>Near Fog Island on Broad Street is the <a href="http://www.sunkenship.com" target="_blank">Sunken Ship</a>, a wonderful modern-day general store that’s worth poking your head in even if you don’t need anything. We did need something — a purple shovel, something my daughter had been asking for since New York, and they had an excellent one, with a long wooden handle. Across the street is the <a href="https://www.nha.org/sites/" target="_blank">Nantucket Whaling Museum</a>, which everyone will tell you is a must-visit, and rightly so. Housed in a historic 19<sup>th</sup>-century candle factory, it offers a remarkably engaging account of the history of whaling on the island. There’s a widow’s walk with great views of the harbor, and a lovely children’s room with windows facing Broad Street that feels almost like a little maritime-focused Montessori school.</p><p>Everywhere we went with the kids, we felt welcome. At the <a href="http://www.thecharlienoble.com" target="_blank">Charlie Noble</a> <em>(entrées $24-$36)</em>, a recently opened seafood-focused restaurant on South Water Street, our waitress asked after seating us, “Would you like one box of crayons or two?” <a href="https://www.nantucketbookworks.com" target="_blank">Nantucket Bookworks</a>, on Broad Street, has recently added an adorable and impressively well-stocked children’s nook (with a kids’-sized entrance that requires adults to duck under) beside a vintage soda fountain.</p><img alt="Inside the Nantucket Whaling Museum "src="http://cdn-image.travelandleisure.com/sites/default/files/styles/1600x1000/public/1517607346/nantucket-whaling-museum-WTGNANTUCKET0118.jpg?itok=IerDfkwn"><p>Besides the whaling museum, the other place it is mandatory to visit in the village is <a href="https://www.nantucketreds.com" target="_blank">Murray’s Toggery Shop</a>, the island’s premier purveyor (since 1945) of WASP fashions. We popped in on a damp day that carried the first true hint of fall to gawk at their amazing array of clothing in Nantucket red, the dusty-rose shade that has become synonymous with New England preppy style. My wife and I thought about buying some Nantucket-red apparel, but couldn’t quite bring ourselves to go there. I did, however, buy a shawl-collared wool Ralph Lauren cardigan at half off that instantly became a wardrobe staple.</p><p>Probably the most adult-feeling thing we did was to take the free island shuttle to the White Elephant’s sister property, the <a href="http://www.wauwinet.com" target="_blank">Wauwinet</a> <em>(doubles from $195; more during high season; open April through October)</em>, a charming harborfront inn on a skinny isthmus on Nantucket’s eastern end. There, we ate upscale, regionally focused prix-fixe meal on the casual patio of <a href="http://www.wauwinet.com/dining#gref" target="_blank">Topper’s</a> <em>(prix-fixe menu $80)</em>, the hotel’s fine-dining restaurant. There were other families there, but the vibe, especially inside in the intimate dining room, felt a bit more see-and-be-seen.</p><img alt="Exterior of Wauwinet Inn, Nantucket "src="http://cdn-image.travelandleisure.com/sites/default/files/styles/1600x1000/public/1517607346/wauwinet-inn-nantucket-WTGNANTUCKET0118.jpg?itok=Y_hn2o0w"><p>I was certainly aware during my visit of the <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/trip-ideas/summer-vacations/nantucket-massachusetts-island-summer" target="_blank">more grown-up side of the island</a> — seeing the early line form at <a href="https://nautilusnantucket.com" target="_blank">the Nautilus</a> <em>(small plates $12-$24; entées $23-$38)</em> one of the city’s hottest restaurants, around the corner from the Fog Island Café, or passing the <a href="https://www.nantucketdreamland.org/shows/showing-today" target="_blank">Dreamland Theater</a>, which a few weeks later would be a central hub of the <a href="https://www.nantucketproject.com" target="_blank">Nantucket Project</a>, the island’s wildly popular annual thought conference. There’s also the family-with-older-kids way of doing Nantucket: everyone on bikes, heading out to more remote beaches to go snorkeling or fishing. Those versions of the Nantucket experience, of course, are ones we can have too when we return to the island — again and again and again.</p>

<p>Flights to Rome are cheap right now, so if you're in the mood for a "Roman Holiday" à la Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck (<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0046250/" target="_blank">international scandal optional</a>), carpe diem.</p><p><a href="http://scottscheapflights.com" target="_blank"><em>Scott's Cheap Flights</em></a> found fares as low as $362 from New York City (EWR) and San Jose (SJC), $390 from San Francisco (SFO), and $422 from Los Angeles (LAX). The cheapest dates are spread throughout 2018.</p><p>Some of the cheap flights to Rome that <em>Travel + Leisure</em> found included $370 <a href="https://www.google.com/flights/#search;f=JFK,EWR,LGA;t=FCO,CIA,IRT,XRJ;d=2018-10-31;r=2018-11-06" target="_blank">from New York City in October</a>, $480 from Los Angeles in fall and winter, $412 in spring and fall from San Francisco, $499 from Miami in September and October, and $649 from Chicago in summer and fall.</p><p>While the cheapest fares are only available on select dates, there are also great fares spread throughout the calendar, ranging from $300s to $600s on fares that are typically $800+.</p><p>Check the fare calendar from your home airport on <a href="http://google.com/flights" target="_blank">Google Flights</a>, and check <a href="http://skyscanner.com" target="_blank">Skyscanner</a> and <a href="http://momondo.com" target="_blank">Momondo</a> to see if there's something even cheaper available.</p><p>And if you're thinking of a shorter getaway, there's still time to hop on JetBlue's Valentine's Day flash sale, which has <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-news/cheap-flights-jetblue-valentines-two-day-sale" target="_blank">fares starting at $39</a> across the U.S.</p>

<p>Oddly enough, it didn't smell like rain. The sky had turned from blue to silver to a deep, dark gray as our trio of kayaks explored a remote stretch of Argentina's Yacuí River, a tributary of the larger Iguazú. With its milky green waters and banks lined with the towering <em>palmito</em> and <em>palo rosa</em> trees of the Atlantic Forest, the Yacuí, set in the northeastern province of Misiones, is about as far from the cosmopolitan streets of <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-guide/buenos-aires" target="_blank">Buenos Aires</a> as you can get.</p><p>We'd driven 90 minutes due east from the town of Puerto Iguazú, on the unpaved Route 101 that runs along the border of Iguazú National Park, to reach this remote location. After clambering down a makeshift pier, we'd dropped our kayaks in the water and begun paddling upstream, with no end point in mind — our destination was the magical rain forest that straddles the river, once a vast wilderness that covered more than 100 million acres of Argentina, Paraguay, and Brazil. My Argentine guides, Paula and Pancho, noticed the darkening sky too, but I told them to press on. The metallic tang I've always associated with an approaching storm was missing from the air, and after coming all this way I wasn't about to give up.</p><p>Then raindrops the size of quarters started falling fast and thick. The shallow seat of my kayak began to fill with water. All three of us made a swift turn for the pier.</p><p>"Are we there yet?" I shouted ahead to Paula, wiping the rain from my face. "Almost!" she replied, poised and unflappable, even as lightning flashed in the distance. Behind me, Pancho looked equally cool and confident in his Ray-Bans and wide-brimmed hat.</p><p>I knew my question sounded childish. But I was ready for dry clothing and a drink, and I knew we were in for a long, wet drive home. Home in this case was the new <a href="http://www.awasiguazu.com/about/" target="_blank">Awasi Iguazú</a>, a 14-suite lodge just outside Iguazú National Park that provides a luxurious new base from which to explore a region that has long lacked great hotel options.</p><p>Covering some 170,000 acres, the park draws 1.3 million visitors a year, most of whom come to see one thing and one thing only: <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/trip-ideas/iguazu-falls-argentina" target="_blank">Iguazú Falls</a>, a series of 275 cascades that run 1.7 miles across the border between Argentina and Brazil. An Instagrammer's paradise, Iguazú is at the top of many people's South America bucket lists, right up there with Machu Picchu and <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/trip-ideas/adventure-travel/how-to-travel-to-galapagos-islands" target="_blank">the Galápagos</a>.</p><p>The Brazilian side may have only 20 percent of the falls, but it does lay claim to the Belmond Hotel das Cataratas, a colonial-style property awash in old-world luxury. Argentina has most of the falls — and a complete network of trails and walkways that allow you to see them from various perspectives — but Puerto Iguazú, the closest city, is filled with midrange inns and hostels, all of which attract their share of bus tours. Awasi, by contrast, consists of 14 freestanding pine cabins — 13 of which are 1,076 square feet, with the 14th clocking in at 1,650 — standing in three discreet rows, each reachable by winding stone paths cutting through the jungle. All have private plunge pools and blend seamlessly into the environment. Standing on your deck, you're surrounded by nothing but rain forest and sky and creatures. Some of the animals you may see, others you only hear: coatis, crickets, even the stray ocelot.</p><img alt="The dining room and patio at the Awasi Iguazu Falls property "src="http://cdn-image.travelandleisure.com/sites/default/files/styles/1600x1000/public/1518549725/awasi-iguazu-dining-room-and-patio-IGUAZUFALLS0318.jpg?itok=g96yW1Zm"><p>The low-slung main lodge, the focal point of the property, is where guests gather for meals or to sip a glass of Malbec at the striking bar, hewn from <em>petiribí, </em>a native tree. Elements like marble and brass would feel out of place here, so the Buenos Aires–based designers Patricia Diedrichs and Eugenia Choren looked instead to woods, linens, and muted colors, especially beige and soft green.</p><p>Choren knows how to bring style to the wilderness: for seven years, she designed farms and cottages in the Corrientes province in northern Argentina for noted conservationist and North Face founder Douglas Tompkins. At Awasi, tasteful pencil drawings of native flowers and birds by the artist Elba D'Arino, Choren's mother, hang on the walls of the public areas. Colorful baskets woven by members of a nearby Guarani tribe rest on the tables. And a seven-piece light installation fashioned from 40 layers of fishing line illuminates the dining area, where your multicourse meals might include pillowy mushroom ravioli or a delicate ceviche of <em>surubí,</em> a local freshwater fish.</p><p>The whole place manages to feel organic and earthy — but not <em>too</em> earthy. It reminded me of renowned safari properties like Singita Boulders Lodge, in South Africa's Sabi Sand Game Reserve, and Abu Camp, in Botswana's wild Okavango Delta, where the design feels elevated yet not out of touch with its environment. This is the jungle, after all, the most biodiverse part of Argentina, where most days the humidity hovers between 75 and 90 percent. I quickly learned that there was no point in fighting the heat, bugs, or damp, or Misiones' rich red soil, which quickly stained my shoes and clothing. You're not here to be holed up in an air-conditioned palace.</p><p>To that end, Awasi follows <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/worlds-best/safari-lodges-in-africa" target="_blank">the safari model</a> when it comes to meals, drinks, and outdoor activities: everything is included. But it one-ups the safari experience in that each cabin comes with a personal guide (in my case, Paula, with help from Pancho) at no additional cost. That white 4 x 4 Ford Ranger is for you alone. Want to rise early for a jog along the back roads? Sure thing. How about a bird-watching excursion away from the crowds? That's fine, too. With a staff of 75, including 16 guides, catering to a maximum of 28 guests, the hotel puts service first.</p><img alt="A stay at the Awasi Iguazu Falls includes excursions, like kayaking. "src="http://cdn-image.travelandleisure.com/sites/default/files/styles/1600x1000/public/1518549725/awasi-iguazu-kayaking-excursion-IGUAZUFALLS0318.jpg?itok=HHijL_rk"><p>"For most travelers, everything outside of the falls is secondary. We want the secondary stuff to shine," says Virginia Contreras, the operations manager for the Awasi Iguazú as well as two older Awasi properties (also in remote locales — the Atacama Desert and Torres del Paine National Park, both in Chile). Ten years ago, it would have been risky to expect people to stay three nights and go beyond Iguazú's star attraction. Nowadays, when so many travelers want to go deeper, explore further, and see things few others have seen before, there's a built-in audience for a place like this.</p><p>When I visited the falls I was impressed, but the experiences I didn't even know were coming turned out to be just as memorable. Like the sunny morning when, with the sky a robin's-egg blue, I piled into the truck with Paula, Pancho, and a last-minute tagalong guide, Bernardita, for a road trip — three hours each way — to visit San Ignacio Miní. I'm embarrassed to admit that I had never heard of this <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-news/unesco-world-heritage-sites-at-risk" target="_blank">UNESCO World Heritage site</a>, one of four remaining Guarani-Jesuit missions in Argentina, located 155 miles south of the falls. The journey sounded daunting, but I was game for an adventure.</p><p>The ride was a straight shot down a rural highway lined with dense forests of pine and eucalyptus, with the occasional <em>ibira pita</em> tree — recognizable by its gorgeous yellow flowers — breaking up the sea of green. We passed farms and fruit stands and listened to an endless mix of Coldplay. By the time we turned onto a small paved road, I was ready to stretch my legs.</p><p>Nothing — certainly not my hasty Google Images search — could have prepared me for how magnificent San Ignacio Miní would be in person. Massive stone walls towered in orderly rows around a grand lawn that fronted the remains of a red stone church, its archways covered with elaborate Baroque motifs. At its peak, in the early to mid 1700s, the mission housed a handful of Jesuit priests and more than 4,000 Guarani, who were moved here, tribe by tribe, to live in stone dwellings and made to sculpt, play music, and study Catholicism. The Guarani — not the priests — were responsible for the carvings.</p><img alt="Iguazu Falls, spanning Argentina and Brazil "src="http://cdn-image.travelandleisure.com/sites/default/files/styles/1600x1000/public/1518549725/iguazu-falls-argentina-brazil-IGUAZUFALLS0318.jpg?itok=yl-nrHir"><p>After the Jesuits were expelled from Spain and its territories in 1767, the mission was abandoned and lost to time, the trees and plants eventually covering it wall by wall. It was restored in the 1940s and again in the 1990s. "Imagine this huge town in the middle of the rain forest," Paula said. But my brain couldn't fathom it. I suddenly was overcome by a feeling of sadness, thinking of the Guarani who were forced to move and adapt to a foreign culture.</p><p>Though the journey to San Ignacio Miní and back was long, I never found myself minding, which is a testament to the friendliness and intelligence of the Awasi guides. All hail from Argentina, Chile, or Brazil and have diverse interests and specialties, from geology and botany to <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/photography/professional-photographer-gear" target="_blank">photography</a>. Paula's passion is ornithology, something that became clear during the two days we spent visiting Iguazú Falls.</p><p>The Awasi is just 20 minutes from the park's entrance, a surprisingly small-scale affair. On our first outing, we hiked 1½ miles along the Green Trail and the Lower Circuit, which consists of pathways that wind through the rain forest and eventually, closer to the falls, give way to a series of suspended footbridges that afford panoramic views. Paula spotted two chestnut-eared aracaris, a type of toucan, hopping between branches, while Pancho pointed out cicada exoskeletons lined up in tidy rows along the trunks of various trees. Families carrying coolers and pushing strollers passed us, oblivious to nature's hidden details.</p><p>I was so focused on the forest that my first glimpse of the <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/slideshows/the-worlds-most-spectacular-waterfalls" target="_blank">Devil's Throat</a> — the U-shaped gorge on the western end, which as much as half of the river thunders over — crept up on me. Then I became just one of the horde, with nothing else on my mind but taking in the spectacular show. We quickened our pace, snaking over the metal footbridges as the water grew louder and the rainbows multiplied. Eventually, from our viewpoint about midway between the river and the top of the gorge, we could appreciate the breadth of the cascades.</p><p>As the spray hit me at the Bossetti Falls, on the opposite side of the Devil's Throat, I stood transfixed — with so many questions. What was that emerald plant that stuck to the rocks? Podostemon grass, Paula answered: it thrives despite the pounding water. Why Bossetti? He was an Italian explorer (first name Carlo). The fact that I seemed to be the only person with a private guide wasn't lost on me. It felt decadent, but otherwise I'd have been tapping away for answers on my smartphone and missing so much.</p><p>To get closer to the Devil's Throat, we waited until late in the afternoon of the following day. The air was a humid brew, so we opted for the train, a faster, easier way to get to the 3,609-foot bridge that brings you to the gorge. This walk, as opposed to the footbridges of the Lower Circuit, took us above the Iguazú River itself. The water was murky — something I'd learned was due to the iron-rich soil and extensive plant growth, not pollution. Catfish swam below the bridges, side-necked turtles sunbathed on rocks, and all appeared calm, until we were about 50 yards from our final destination.</p><p>Though you can get a pulled-back view of Devil's Throat from Brazil, its scale and power are best appreciated in Argentina. The drop point, from which the water begins to fall some 270 feet, bisected a landscape of blue sky and white water, the top half cloudless and serene, the bottom a chaos of rapids and mist with no end in sight. It's amazing what the force of 450,000 cubic feet per second can do.</p><p>This was hardly the guides' first rodeo. I asked Pancho whether he ever tired of coming here. "No," he replied. "The light, the crowds, the atmosphere — it's never the same." I believed him. As we walked away, I caught a glimpse of a rainbow arcing over the Devil's Throat, its reds and yellows and greens fractured by the mist. </p><h2>Your Guide to Seeing Iguazú Falls</h2><p>With the debut of the Awasi Iguazú, the Argentinean side now has a luxe place to stay. Here's all you need to know about getting there and getting around.</p><h3>Getting There</h3><p>The best way to reach Iguazú Falls is to fly to Buenos Aires, then take the two-hour connecting flight to Puerto Iguazú. I flew both <a href="https://www.latam.com/en_us/" target="_blank">LATAM</a> and <a href="https://www.andesonline.com/" target="_blank">Andes Airlines</a><em>,</em> a local low-cost carrier; <a href="http://www.aerolineas.com.ar/Welcome" target="_blank">Aerolíneas Argentinas</a> also offers nonstop service.</p><h3>Where to Stay</h3><p>The <a href="http://www.awasiguazu.com/about/" target="_blank">Awasi Iguazú</a> <em>(doubles from $1,000 per person, all-inclusive) </em>has 14 large villas. Numerous excursions, including visits to the falls, are part of the price. The Awasi guides will pick you up on arrival in Puerto Iguazú.</p><h3>Crossing the Border</h3><p>Many travelers try to see Iguazú Falls from both Brazil and Argentina. Each side has its merits, though Argentina's network of trails is longer, and 80 percent of the falls lie on its side of the border. If you do want to go to Brazil, keep in mind that, for Americans, visas cost $160 and can take up to five business days to process, so you have to plan in advance. Argentina does not require a visa. If you want to stay in Brazil, <a data-ecommerce="true" href="http://www.expedia.com/Foz-Do-Iguacu-Hotels-Belmond-Hotel-Das-Cataratas.h53288.Hotel-Information" target="_blank">the Belmond Hotel das Cataratas</a> <em>(doubles from $284)</em> is the best accommodation near the falls.</p><h3>What to Pack</h3><p>December through February is peak summer, when temperatures can climb to 90 degrees. Spring and fall offer milder weather. No matter the month, the humidity is ever present. Bring a bathing suit and flip-flops, in addition to quick-drying clothing, comfortable walking shoes, and several hats. Be prepared for your clothes to get dirty, as the soil easily stains.</p><h3>Before &amp; After</h3><p>You'll likely want to spend time in Buenos Aires before and/or after your visit. <a data-ecommerce="true" href="https://www.expedia.com/Buenos-Aires-Hotels-Four-Seasons-Hotel-Buenos-Aires.h13480.Hotel-Information" target="_blank">The Four Seasons</a> <em>(doubles from $605)</em> has a great location in Recoleta. The rooms are spacious, but you're really there for the outdoor pool, overlooking the property's garden and Beaux-Arts mansion, and for the lobby bar, which embraces the polo aesthetic (think plenty of leather and wood) and serves excellent wines by the glass.</p><p><em>Content in this article was produced with assistance from Awasi Iguazú.</em></p>

<p>Celebrities often do international commercial work, but it’s not often that their performances, or the products they endorse, land them in hot water.</p><p>Pierce Brosnan was hired to appear in a few advertisements in India in 2016. The product, Pan Bahar, was sold as a “mouth freshener” and meant to aid digestion and refresh your mouth after eating. However, Pan Bahar is a mixture of herbs, including tobacco, and is linked with causing cancer, <a href="http://indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/delhi-sends-showcause-to-pierce-brosnan-over-pan-masala-ad-5062897/" target="_blank">the <em>Indian Express</em> reported</a>.</p><p>India has strict laws banning the advertisement of tobacco products, and a court in Delhi has demanded Brosnan explain his appearance in the ad. If Brosnan refuses, he could face up to two years in jail or pay a fine of 5,000 rupees (about $78 USD).</p><p>“We have issued the notice to Pierce Brosnan through the company, and also reached out to him via social media platforms,” officials from Delhi's health department told the <a href="http://indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/delhi-sends-showcause-to-pierce-brosnan-over-pan-masala-ad-5062897/" target="_blank">Indian Express</a>.</p><p>Brosnan has already denounced Pan Bahar after learning it may contain tobacco; he claims the company lied to him about its ingredients and misused his image.</p><p><a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5390297/Pierce-Brosnan-ordered-explain-appeared-ad.html" target="_blank">According to the <em>Daily Mail</em></a>, Brosnan’s contract said he was “endorsing ‘breath freshener’ or ‘tooth whitener’ containing ‘neither tobacco, supari, nor any other harmful ingredient.’”</p>

<p>More than 80,000 couples already <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-news/las-vegas-weddings">tie the knot in Las Vegas each year</a> — but this Valentine's Day week, exchanging vows in <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-guide/las-vegas-nevada" target="_blank">Sin City</a> is even easier. In fact, you can get the process started the moment you step off the plane: McCarran Airport has installed a temporary marriage license kiosk in the baggage area in Terminal 1.</p><p>According to <em><a href="http://www.foxnews.com/us/2018/02/12/marriage-license-kiosk-opens-up-at-vegas-airport-in-time-for-valentines-day.html">Fox News</a></em>, the days leading up to Valentine’s Day are the busiest days of the year for the Clark County Marriage License Bureau.</p><p>“With Valentine’s Day being on a Wednesday this year, we’re not expecting it to be as big as it has in other years,” said Paula Cook, a marriage services supervisor for the County.</p><img alt="The Clark County Clerk's Office operates a temporary pop-up marriage license office at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas "src="http://cdn-image.travelandleisure.com/sites/default/files/styles/1600x1000/public/1518623215/las-vegas-airport-wedding-sign-up-AIRPORTWED0218.jpg?itok=sOxJPoOM"><p>County Clerk Lynn Goya told <em><a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/valentines-day-las-vegas-airport-pop-up-wedding-service-license-marriage-mccarran-international-a8208331.html" target="_blank">The Independent</a>,</em> “This pop-up marriage license office will make it easier for couples flying here to pick up a marriage license.”</p><p>However, couples who are hoping for a ceremony will still have to <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/trip-ideas/destination-weddings/how-to-get-married-in-las-vegas" target="_blank">look elsewhere</a>. While the marriage license they acquire at the airport make their marriage official and legal, it’s not a place to exchange vows.</p><img alt="The Clark County Clerk's Office operates a temporary pop-up marriage license office at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas "src="http://cdn-image.travelandleisure.com/sites/default/files/styles/1600x1000/public/1518623215/las-vegas-airport-marriage-AIRPORTWED0218.jpg?itok=e2C8RaTG"><p>Each marriage license costs $77, and can be used can be used at venues around the city including Elvis Chapel and the Viva Las Vegas Wedding Chapel. The pop-up will be open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The kiosk officially opened on Feb. 9, and will be open until Feb.17.</p><p>Couples who are hoping to get married in Las Vegas should also fill out a marriage license pre-application, which can be found on the <a href="http://www.clarkcountynv.gov/Pages/default.aspx" target="_blank">Clark County website</a>.</p>

<p>Scientists have discovered a lava dome inside an underwater <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-news/japan-volcano-avalanche-kusatsu-shirane" target="_blank">volcano</a> in <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/trip-ideas/nature-travel/okinawa-japan-natural-beauty" target="_blank">Japan</a> that could potentially kill up to 100 million people if it were to erupt.</p><p>A team from the Kobe Ocean-Bottom Exploration Center (KOBEC) found the dome approximately 30 miles south of the Satsuma Peninsula in Kagoshima Prefecture, local news outlet <a href="https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20180210/p2a/00m/0na/013000c" target="_blank"><em>The Mainichi</em> reported</a>. The dome measures about 2,000 feet high and about 6 miles in diameter.</p><p>“Although the probability of a gigantic caldera eruption hitting the Japanese archipelago is 1 percent in the next 100 years, it is estimated that the death toll could rise to approximately 100 million in the worst case scenario,” Professor Yoshiyuki Tatsumi, head of KOBEC and a magma specialist, told <em>The Mainichi</em>.</p><p>This Japanese supervolcano is not the only one with the potential to cause widespread damage, or even send an entire region into volcanic winter. A supervolcano inside Yellowstone National Park has the strength to spew ash across most of the continental U.S.</p><p><a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-tips/travel-warnings/yellowstone-supervolcano-eruption" target="_blank">Yellowstone's supervolcano</a> last erupted 600,000 years ago. A study from the University of Arizona found that while a volcanic eruption is not likely to occur soon, residents will have much less time to prepare than previously thought.</p><p>“It’s shocking how little time is required to take a volcanic system from being quiet and sitting there to the edge of an eruption,” study co-author Hannah Shamloo <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/10/science/yellowstone-volcano-eruption.html" target="_blank">told <em>The New York Times</em></a>.</p>

<p>Even after arriving at your gate with time to spare, the most stressful part of flying is not over. Even before the gate agents announce boarding, passengers begin the battle to be among the first on the aircraft.</p><p>However, passengers’ need to be first on the plane often causes confusion and crowding at the gate, which is why United is testing out a new boarding procedure.</p><p><strong>Related:</strong> <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/airlines-airports/canceled-diverted-flight" target="_blank">This Is the First Thing You Should Do If Your Flight Is Canceled or Diverted</a></p><p>Previously, <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/airlines-airports/airline-boarding-groups" target="_blank">the airline assigned passengers to five different groups</a>, each with their own separate lane for boarding. As soon as passengers in the first group were called, those in group five could wait in their own lanes. But with five different boarding groups all waiting in line at the same time, overcrowding was a common problem.</p><p>While United won’t change the order of who boards (premier and first class members in first groups, then window, middle, then aisle seats), the airline will test changes at the gate, <a href="http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.com/2018/02/13/united-airlines-boarding-process/" target="_blank"><em>One Mile at a Time</em> reported</a>.</p><p>Passengers at select “testing” gates will notice the absence of five boarding lanes. Instead, there will only be two lanes for boarding. After the first two groups have boarded, the first lane will remain open for priority passengers. The second lane will switch to board passengers in groups three through five.</p><p>The new boarding process is meant to “experience less crowding while boarding the aircraft” and “create more space and easier access to the boarding door,” according to an email United sent to customers.</p><p>“Our customers have told us they want a better experience when boarding, including more communication and we are looking for ways to improve it for them,” a United spokesperson told <em>Travel + Leisure</em>. “We’ve been testing different processes, and soliciting feedback to find a more customer friendly boarding method that also helps employees.”</p><p>United is currently testing its new boarding process at <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/airlines-airports/lax-airport" target="_blank">Los Angeles International Airport</a>.</p>

<p>Michelle Myers went to sleep American. When she woke up, she was <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-news/how-kate-middletons-parents-met" target="_blank">British</a> – but not in terms of her nationality or even her location.</p><p>The Arizona woman who has spent her entire life in the U.S. woke up with <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/trip-ideas/destination-weddings/royal-wedding-traditions-prince-harry-meghan-markle" target="_blank">a British accent</a>.</p><p>Doctors believe the strange occurrence is linked to the severe headaches Myers was experiencing at the time, she <a href="https://www.abc15.com/news/region-west-valley/buckeye/valley-woman-suffering-from-rare-disease-wakes-with-british-accent" target="_blank">told <em>ABC</em> affiliate <em>KNXV</em>.</a></p><p>She said that she has been diagnosed with Foreign Accent Syndrome, an extremely rare condition in which patients suddenly perceive themselves to speak with a foreign accent. The disorder is usually spurred by a stroke or head trauma, but other cases have also been linked to migraines.</p><p>“Everyone only sees or hears Mary Poppins,” Myers told the station. “I guess you still have it in your head. I feel like a different person.”</p><p>The British accent is not the only cadence Myers has experienced, she said. After suffering headaches throughout her life, in the past she has woken up speaking with Irish and Australian accents. While those disappeared after about a week, Myers said that she has been speaking in a British accent for at least two years now.</p><p>Foreign Accent Syndrome was first documented in 1907 by Pierre Marie, a French neurologist. A <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3214216/" target="_blank">2011 study</a> found that only about 60 cases had been documented around the world at the time of publication.</p><p>Myers told <em>KNXV</em> that she is trying to maintain a positive attitude and just wants to be taken seriously since she is aware of how her condition sounds to others.</p><p>Looking at an old video clip in which she speaks with her <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/worlds-best/cities-in-us" target="_blank">natural American accent</a>, Myers said, “The person I am now has been through so much compared to this person here.”</p>

<p>Glowing, bioluminescent waves have been appearing at California’s <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/trip-ideas/road-trips/big-sur-highway-1-closures" target="_blank">Big Sur</a>, treating those who visit the area to a fascinating natural spectacle. </p><p>Monterey-based photographer <a href="http://whirlingtripod.com" target="_blank">George Krieger</a> recently captured breathtaking images of the waves, which have been lighting up the area since early Feb.</p><p>“A bloom of phytoplankton was lighting up the night under the Bixby Creek Bridge this evening,” Krieger, who first spotted the spectacle on Feb. 5, wrote on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/georgekrieger/posts/10211000972368746" target="_blank">Facebook</a>.</p><p>Krieger was in the area to take pictures at around 9 p.m. when he spotted the natural phenomenon, realizing as he looked closer just what he was seeing.</p><img alt="Bioluminescence in the bay at Big Sur, California "src="http://cdn-image.travelandleisure.com/sites/default/files/styles/1600x1000/public/1518470399/big-sur-bay-bioluminescence-06-BIGSURBIO0218.jpg?itok=z1Qu66pT"><img alt="Bioluminescence in the bay at Big Sur, California "src="http://cdn-image.travelandleisure.com/sites/default/files/styles/1600x1000/public/1518470399/big-sur-bay-bioluminescence-05-BIGSURBIO0218.jpg?itok=fgGG8d3s"><p>“I looked down and the waves were a lot brighter than normal, like someone was shining blue headlights on the waves,” Krieger told<em> Travel + Leisure</em>.</p><p>“But when you look at it longer, your eyes start to get used to the darkness and it looks just as though someone has put <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/trip-ideas/nature-travel/bluest-water-destinations" target="_blank">blue</a> lights underneath the water that reveal themselves every time a wave goes over,” he added.</p><img alt="Bioluminescence in the bay at Big Sur, California "src="http://cdn-image.travelandleisure.com/sites/default/files/styles/1600x1000/public/1518470399/big-sur-bay-bioluminescence-03-BIGSURBIO0218.jpg?itok=zwg6z4Sx"><p>Steve Haddock, a bioluminescence specialist at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, explained to <em><a href="http://www.ksbw.com/article/bioluminescent-waves-glowing-in-big-sur/16645987" target="_blank">KSBW</a> </em>that the glowing waves are the result of concentrations of dinoflagellates in the water. Members of the phytoplankton genus, dinoflagellates are tiny organisms that emit light when perceiving predators.</p><p>"It is almost certainly a dinoflagellate bloom. We are also seeing relative high bioluminescence with our instruments here in Monterey Bay," he told <em>KSBW</em>. </p><p>Haddock added that there have been a spike in reports of the glowing waves along <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/trip-ideas/top-north-america-destinations" target="_blank">California's coast</a> since January, pointing to a combination of high nutrient rates the organisms were receiving and calm weather conditions as factors. </p><img alt="Bioluminescence in the bay at Big Sur, California "src="http://cdn-image.travelandleisure.com/sites/default/files/styles/1600x1000/public/1518470399/big-sur-bay-bioluminescence-04-BIGSURBIO0218.jpg?itok=mwKI0NqY"><img alt="Bioluminescence in the bay at Big Sur, California "src="http://cdn-image.travelandleisure.com/sites/default/files/styles/1600x1000/public/1518470399/big-sur-bay-bioluminescence-01-BIGSURBIO0218.jpg?itok=WYWBocLP"><p>"The typical pattern leading to a bloom of dinoflagellates is an influx of nutrients (for example wind turning over the water column or rain providing runoff) followed by a calm period which allows the water to stratify (form layers),” Haddock <a href="http://www.ksbw.com/article/bioluminescent-waves-glowing-in-big-sur/16645987" target="_blank">explained</a>. </p><p>“In these layers, the dinoflagellates can accumulate into high concentrations before they get mixed around by subsequent windy conditions," he said.</p><img alt="Bioluminescence in the bay at Big Sur, California "src="http://cdn-image.travelandleisure.com/sites/default/files/styles/1600x1000/public/1518470399/big-sur-bay-bioluminescence-07-BIGSURBIO0218.jpg?itok=rS7Dm7Xa"><p>Krieger, who said the bioluminescence could still be seen in the southern portion of Big Sur as late as Sunday evening, went back to the area several nights after his first spotting of the bioluminescent waves to take in the scenery.</p><p>“Every corner of Big Sur is another environment, and another world,” he told T+L. “There are so many aspects of beauty here, visually, that for a photographer, it’s one of the most productive places you can go to shoot.” </p>

<p>Danielle Herrington may be a newbie, but she’s already a superstar.</p><p>The 24-year-old model is the face of the 2018 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition, after being named the magazine’s Rookie just last year. <em>Travel + Leisure</em> had the chance to join Herrington in the Bahamas, where she partook in the popular activity there: <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/trip-ideas/bahamas-swimming-pigs-big-major-cay" target="_blank">swimming with the pigs</a>.</p><p>Herrington shot her cover photos with photographer Ben Watts. She is the third African-American model to grace the cover of <em>Sports Illustrated</em>. The first was Tyra Banks and the second was Beyoncé — two of Herrington’s idols.</p><p>“I am so excited to be part of this iconic brand that has long given identity and voice to women of all shapes, colors and beliefs,” said Herrington. “I hope that young girls who look at this cover are inspired to dream as big as I did and work hard to attain all their goals.”</p><p>The <em>Sports Illustrated</em> photoshoot was her first big modeling job, <a href="http://people.com/style/danielle-herrington-sports-illustrated-swimsuit-cover-facts/" target="_blank"><em>People</em> reported</a>. Before SI, she took her first walk down the catwalk in 2017 for designer Philipp Plein.</p><p>This edition of <em>Sports Illustrated</em> also includes a section called “In Her Own Words,” a photo spread featuring models and celebrities such as Aly Raisman and Paulina Porizkova, in which their own bodies become a canvas for a message of empowerment.</p>